--- Oh I do, believe me... You just do not appear to be an elder... I had you figured for fifty-ish.

--- Fifty-ish... come on now... How old are you? ...she asks. You do not look a day over forty.

--- FORTY! ... While I will have you know dear lady that I am thirty eight, going on eighteen.

Elsie laughs. He is funny, she thinks...

Elsie orders her drink and continues talking with the bar-keep... She stands at the bar chatting with him for awhile. Mackay talks with her as he mixes drinks..., excusing himself when he needs to talk with someone else about their beverage.

Mackay politely returns to his conversations with Elsie as quickly as possible.

Elsie looks at his name tag;
---- MacKay, is that a first name for last name?

---- First...., its Mackay Morrison ma lady... [Mackay bows...]

--- ...ma lady...? Now you are showing too much respect.

--- How about this Elsie; [Mackay deepens, his voice...]
------------ Would you like to park that classy chassis behind the bar... [He winks..., or have I gone too far...]

Elsie laughs;
---- Instead of arthritis I have rust... [Mackay smiles at her but he is busy with a con-sum-err...]
Elsie waits;
---- That would be nice... I have never been behind a bar Mackay.

She stands at the end of the bar watching Mackay mix drinks... he carries on very well with everyone she notices... Soon Mackay leaves his post and returns quickly with a stool.
---- Here ya go Elsie... sit here and we can chat for as long as you like...

Elsie moves behind the bar and pulls herself up on the stool...
---- This is different from what I imagined Mackay...

---- Would you like something else to drink? You don-t seem to be enjoying the one you have Elsie.

---- I am afraid I am not much for alcohol Mackay.

--- I will mix you a drink, non-alcoholic.... a special I serve to dignified ladies such as yourself.

Elsie sits quietly as Mackay serves several more people and finally concocts her fruity drink... Which he labels..., WITH DIGNITY... [Elsie laughs. She is having a gay old time...]

They banter back and forth for awhile. Elsie excuses herself and checks up on Ralph... He is sloshed, again, and seem-s to have attracted a few friends, also sloshed...

This is not Elsie-s scene so she migrates back to Mackay...eventually Mackay has a break from mixology...

Elsie is sitting on the stool enjoying the various topics of conversation she and Mackay are delving into... Without warning Mackay stares at her knees..., making her very uncomfortable. Elsie closes her legs tight and wonders what he is up too...
--- Mackay, why are you looking at my knees...?

--- Looking for bumps dear lady...

Elsie looks at him, bewildered;
---- Bumps, what in the world are you talking about Mackay?

---- If you do not have bumpy knees then it-s not arthritis, so it must be rust... he says. Straight faced.

--- Mackay, what are you talking about, it must be r-- ... [The light goes on and Elsie get-s his humour.]

Mackay smiles at Elsie, winking at the same time.
She looks at him sternly;
------------You are a silly Mackay... [Then, matter of factly.] ... Mackay I thought I had nice knees, even at my age...

--- You do Elsie... that you do.

There is no one at the bar... Mackay lowers his head and feigns kissing Elsie-s knees. She turns quickly from him.
--- Mackay, what are you up to?

--- Kissing your nice knees Elsie...

--- You will do no such thing young man...

Mackay feigns kissing her knees again. Elsie swings her legs out of the way quickly; letting out a slight squeal..., like a little girl.

Elsie looks at Mackay... He stands up, eyes sparkling, with a very sassy grin on his face...
She gets it now, he was teasing her;
---You brat. She say-s...

Elsie checked on Ralph several more times... he was having a blast... She sat alone for a bit then returned to Mackay...
---- My husband is drunk as a skunk Mackay... I am stuck here... I guess we will be taking a cab home... serves him right... he will have to cab it back in the morning... it-s going to cost him a pretty penny...

--- In which direction do you live in Elsie...? I have a licence but no vehicle...

Elsie told Mackay the area of the city she lived in... As it turned out he lived in that direction but further on..., on the other side of the river...
--- How about I drive you home and you pay for my cab across the river... that would be cheaper for you and less of an in-convenience to your husband...

Elsie agreed to that. They talked for awhile.... Mackay-s customers dwindled to a trickle as the night became early morning... Elsie was tired...

Mackay convinced Elsie to test three of his mixes... his argument won her over rather easily he thought but it turned out to be a hoot. Elsie became a little tipsy and that changed her demeanour considerably... they joked quite allot...

Eventually Mackay drove Ralph and Elsie home... Elsie sat alone in the back of their very nice Buick... Ralph talked constantly, most of which was intelligible... He had had a great time this night and was thankful for Mackay-s assistance...

When they got to Ralph and Elsie-s home it was nearly 2:30AM... Mackay helped Ralph into the house... He fell on his bed and stayed there, snoring loudly in minutes... completely dressed... shoes and all...
Mackay had dealt with numerous drunks in his career; Ralph was a happy drunk... There were no problems, other than his weight...
...

Elsie was in the kitchen making coffee...
--- I like a coffee before I retire Mackay... would you like one before you cab it home... Oh..., and I will get you some money.... How much do you think it will be Mackay...?

--- About $30 Elsie.

......She dug into her purse and came out with $40...
--- This is all I have Mackay... I guess it will have to do...

--- I will return what is left to you...

--- You do not have too, you have been very helpful tonight Mackay.

--- I want to Elsie... It gives me an excuse to talk with you again... I enjoyed our conversations tonight.
......Mackay could see her face beaming with pride...

--- Ok she said, but call ahead to be sure I am here...

AND so began the friendship of Mackay, a 38 yr old bar-keep, and Elsie, a 70 yr old lady...
He would visit with her once a week usually, sometimes not if his job got in the way... Ralph was happy that Elsie had a friend... Ralph like the idea of a man stopping in randomly... He liked the security factor... The three became very close. Mackay even got them tickets to a couple of dances he served at... including some for their friends..., the Maloney-s.

Of course, the question of Mackay-s personnel life came up... he had no-one... and was quite happy that way.
---- Besides, he said... I have friends, and I have Ralph and Elsie... my life is perfect.

Winter came and Mackay-s visits dropped off in frequency... Christmas came and went with gifts and invitations exchanged...